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My friends are not making their feature film project easy for me.

I agreed to help out with sound and I am acting in it, and editing it afterwords, at least the picture. Still learning my sound editing.

But my friends do not want to get a pro sound person. They want me cause I have back up equipment, in case I need it, and want me to do it all. Now I know they know I'm not a pro, but they have invested a lot of money in this feature it seems, and I don't want to see it all wasted, when they don't get distribution cause of poor sound. I told the director before that I was told movies were rejected 9 out of 10 times, because of the sound. But apparently she has confidence we can pull it off. I also don't even know how she's going to boom everyone in these master shots, when I am acting.

We start shooting this week but so far we are only given 4 hours the first day to finish a scene. She's worked with me so far and knows it takes about 8 in our experience. She's using three cameras though, so maybe that'll go faster. But I want to be able to help make the best movie we can, and not have it be waste for a feature. Any thoughts, as to how I can approach their way? Thanks.
 
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If your name is going on the credits for the sound you better fight to get at least a qualified assistant to help you get clean sound because you're busy acting. If they say no, do the best you can, get lot of room tone and record wild ADR right after each take as a safety so you can ensure at least one clean audio take -- insists on lots of cutaways to make post easier to fix sound issues. Also, reserve the right to remove your name from the credits if you can't get the sound fixed in post. Good luck!

Sound guys checking in soon I'm sure. :)
 
I hope they get sound guys. I'll do ADR for sure, just hope the actors can act it out this time, which they probably cannot, since they are just using their friends. Another no no, in make a pro quality movie.
 
There's no such thing as wasted time if you enjoyed it. Plus, you'll be getting valuable experience. You've made your case but the producer is ready to move forward. Do the best you can and count your blessings. :)
 
As long as you're acting, you may wish to withdraw from helping with the audio part of the film. You'll be the fall guy for the film's bad sound problems. There is little upside here for you IMO.
 
That's true. I'll tell them that. They want me cause of my equipment mostly, but I can tell them to put an add out to see if someone want's to do it for free, to get their name on something maybe.
 
You might offer to let them use your gear while you act.

Still, you've explained you're a newbie and they still want you to do it. It's a chance for solid on-set experience. That's worth gold when you're starting out.
 
i would avoid acting and doing sound at the same time

let them know that either you act, or you work sound. But they are free to borrow your sound equipment for another person to use.

so yeah, what paul says... :D
 
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